The Philippine and Vietnamese coast guards will hold joint exercises for the first time this week, Manila announced on Monday, as the two countries are locked in a dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea.
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China claims most of the strategic waterway, although an international tribunal has ruled that there is no legal basis for this claim. The Philippines, Vietnam and several other countries claim various islands, islets, reefs and shoals.
The Vietnamese ship CSB 800291 meters long, will carry out joint maneuvers with the Philippine patrol vessel Gabriela Silang (83 meters) near Manila Bay on Friday at the end of a five-day voyage, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Armando Balilo said at the Vietnamese vessel’s arrival ceremony.
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Search and rescue, fire and explosion prevention
” This is important because it shows that two countries with issues over the West Philippine Sea can reach an agreement. “We are not talking about the South China Sea,” said Armando Balilo, using the Filipino term for parts of the South China Sea claimed by Manila.
The drills will focus on search and rescue, as well as fire and explosion prevention, the spokesman said. Chinese and Philippine ships have previously clashed in the Pacific Ocean, where billions of dollars of trade pass through each year.
The rising tensions are fueling fears of a conflict that could involve the United States, an ally of Manila. During a visit by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos to Vietnam in January, the two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in South China Sea and of “ peacefully resolve incidents at sea “.
The Vietnamese Defense Ministry said last week that its ship’s stopover in Manila was “ a deep political significance ” This mission is an opportunity to ” promote comprehensive cooperation (and) improve maritime law enforcement capabilities (…) in order to contribute to the maintenance of peace, stability, security and safety in the relevant maritime area and in the region ” he continued in a statement.
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